Kershaw fires two perfect frames; Romo fans side
PHOENIX -- Clayton Kershaw fired two perfect innings and pinch-hitter Wynston Sawyer singled home two runs in the seventh inning as the Dodgers beat the Indians, 4-2, on Thursday at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
"Kersh had everything working," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Two clean innings and it was good to see. It was a good day, overall."
The Dodgers scored in the first inning against Danny Salazar on walks by Andre Ethier and Justin Turner and a two-out RBI single by Yasmani Grandal.
Salazar said it was fun to watch Kershaw, if only for two innings.
"Oh, yeah," Salazar said. "When you talk about pitching, you have to talk about him."
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The Indians tied the game in the third inning in closer Kenley Jansen's Cactus League debut, when center fielder Alvin Toles misplayed Daniel Robertson's line drive into a triple. Robertson scored on an error by shortstop Chris Taylor.
Salazar, who walked three in his two innings, noted that he was trying to work on his fastball.
"I was a little bit up," Salazar said. "My arm is a little bit slow still, but I think we've got time to catch it."
"Command is still a little bit of an issue," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Salazar. "But, he looks healthy and he's letting it go. Again, with some repetition, the hope is he starts working ahead. And then, when he has that fastball with that velocity, he'll be a lot more effective."
The Dodgers regained the lead in the sixth on singles by Turner, Bobby Wilson and Van Slyke off pitcher Shawn Morimando. Cleveland tied the game again in the seventh off Chris Hatcher on a walk by Chris Colabello, a single by Robertson and a double by Greg Allen. In the seventh, O'Koyea Dickson doubled, Brett Eibner walked and Sawyer singled off Morimando.
Sergio Romo made his Dodgers debut by striking out the side in the fourth inning. Alex Wood, vying to reclaim his spot in the starting rotation, pitched two scoreless innings.
Indians Up Next: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to make his second start of the spring for the Indians in a 3:05 p.m. ET Cactus League clash with the Rockies on Friday at Goodyear Ballpark. Relievers Andrew Miller, Boone Logan and Zach McAllister are also penciled in to pitch for Cleveland.
Dodgers Up Next: The Dodgers play split-squad day games on Friday. At Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Rich Hill starts against Ian Kennedy and the Royals. At Salt River, Brandon McCarthy makes his first Cactus League start against former Dodger Zack Greinke and the D-backs. Shortstop Corey Seager (bruised shin) and second baseman John Forsythe (knee injections) are expected to play vs. the D-backs for the first time since Monday.
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